Newport/Northern State boiler replacement faces site, pond and access hurdles, officials say

Designers and corrections staff briefed the House Corrections and Institutions Committee on Jan. 30 about a long-running plan to replace Newport's aging boiler system with a new wood-chip boiler housed outside the security perimeter.

Joe of Buildings and General Services described the preferred approach: construct a separate boiler house outside the secure yard, then pump hot water to the main facility. "The difficulty we're running into right now is...wetlands and retaining ponds," he said, noting that the most recent site plan shows truck access and utility corridors that complicate backhaul and offloading of chip deliveries.

He said moving or redesigning stormwater ponds could be required to permit 18-wheel truck access, and that ledge and high-voltage utility runs make simple relocation difficult. Those relocations would add cost and potentially delay design and bidding. Committee members asked whether prior bonding would complete the project; staff said existing bonding (about $3.5 million cited from earlier budgets) plus a proposed $5 million request would help but might not be sufficient until pond relocation and final bids are resolved.

Committee members asked when the administration expects a decision on the pond moves; Joe said the team was working toward resolution in the coming months but could not give a firm date. Chair directed staff to return with updated site assessments and cost estimates prior to markup.

Ending: No vote; BGS will return with updated design, bidding outcomes and cost estimates after resolving wetland and access issues.